VLCC and suezmax owners will benefit from longhaul shipments from the US in the coming year, even though American shale producers are expected to keep output low in a weak oil price environment, some analysts have predicted.

Alphatanker, AXSMarine’s research unit, said China could hike its imports of US crude to 1m barrels per day (bpd) from 430,000 bpd so far this year due to the US-China trade agreement.